Breakdown
Staff
The Centre is managed on a day-to-day basis by Program Supervisors at each site. The Centre’s team of staff includes: Registered Early Childhood Educators, Teaching Assistants, Cooks, Cleaners and a Bookkeeper. A qualified Resource Consultant is also available to all the programs on a regular basis.
Our teaching staff is a team of qualified, nurturing professionals who strive to provide quality child care. Each staff has a valid first aid certificate and a provincial criminal reference check. All ECE employees are members of the College of Early Childhood Educators.
Students and Volunteers
Each program is enriched by student teachers and volunteers throughout the year. All student teachers and volunteers are required to have a recent provincial criminal reference check and up to date immunizations. Students and volunteers are never left alone with any of the children at any time.
Registration and Admission
Children may be accepted at age 0 month until 10 years. The enrollment package and immunization form must be completed by the admission date.
We strive for you and your child to feel as comfortable and informed as possible when starting daycare. In order to achieve this goal, we ask that before your child actually starts at the day care, you and your child come in for as many visits as possible. It is the intent of the Centre that this gradual admission be beneficial for you and your family and gives your child a comfortable and positive start at day care. This helps to facilitate a smooth transition and gives you and your child an opportunity to get to know the centre, staff and program. It also provides valuable opportunities for you and the teachers to exchange information and establish a comfortable method of communication.
When your child does start at the Centre, we recommend that you ease your child into the program by making the first few days short days (1/2 days). This will provide your child with the opportunity to participate in the program; get to know the teachers and other children without feeling overwhelmed or upset that you are not there. All policies regarding fees are formed to ensure the financial stability of the Centre. Fees are reviewed annually at the General Members meeting. All fees are due in advance at the first of each month. Arrangements other than on a monthly basis can be made in advance with the Program Supervisor. Post-dated cheques left with the office are preferred. It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure prompt payment of accounts. Overdue accounts will be referred to the Board of Directors for further action. If you have concerns, it is imperative that you contact the Program Supervisor.
Monthly Fees
FEES MUST BE PAID FOR ALL STATUTORY HOLIDAYS. ALL PARENT FEES ARE PAYABLE REGARDLESS OF ILLNESS OR VACATION, similar to the City of Toronto’s subsidy policy.
Parents will be issued a letter upon enrollment and again each December outlining the number of billing days for each month for the upcoming year. The fees are calculated by multiplying the number of billing days for the month by the daily rate.
Arrival and Pick-Up Policy
Arrival
It is the parent’s responsibility to accompany their child into the centre, to help them undress, to sign them in on the daily sign-in sheet when applicable, and to inform the teacher of their arrival. We strive to meet each child’s individual needs and to support each family. We have consistent daily schedules and routines as this helps children feel comfortable and secure in the day care environment. Please recognize that your child will benefit most from our programs if brought in during the morning before 10:00 a.m. Parents are invited to come and spend time in the program with their child whenever their schedule allows for it. It is for these reasons that we ask:
- If your child is expected to arrive later than 10:00 a.m., you phone the day care and let us know, so we can include your child in any activities, outings or happenings.
- If your child will be coming in after 11:00 a.m., we ask that you arrange a comfortable time of arrival with the staff.
Pick Up
When a child is being picked up by the parent/caregiver they are expected to inform the teacher and check to see if there are any notices to be taken home.
If a child is to be picked up by a person other than the parent or someone not on the pick-up list, the parent must notify the centre in advance in writing or by phone. The child will not be released to anyone unauthorized. If the person picking up the child is not familiar to the teacher, that person will be required to produce identification. The person picking up a child at the Infant/Toddler or Preschool location must be at least 16 years of age. The person picking up at the School Age location must be at least 13 years of age.
Late Pick Up
Child Pick Up Procedures
In order to ensure the safety of all the children in care when they are picked up, the following procedures will be administered:
- When a child is picked up from the daycare, a staff member will sign them out.
- When a parent or designated pick up person picks up a child, it is their responsibility to inform a staff member that their child is leaving the classroom.
- If a child is being picked up from school, it is the pick-up person’s responsibility to inform the day care room teacher.
- Only authorized persons on the child’s pick up list will be allowed to pick up the child (I.D. will be required).
- If a child is sick at school (during school hours) the school is responsible for calling the parents and the child needs to be picked up from school; the daycare needs to be notified when this occurs.
- If a child is ill in our care, a staff member will call the parent and inform them as to how their child is doing. If the illness is contagious then the child will be separated from the rest of the children and the parent will be asked to make arrangements to have the child picked up immediately.
- Your pick up person must be:
- At least 13 years of age to pick up school age children and 16 years to pick up preschool children at our School Age location
- At least 16 years of age at our Infant/Toddler and Toddler/Preschool location *There is a late fee policy in place (Please check late fee policy).
Emergency Management (Fire and Evacuation)
Each respective day care location has a fire and evacuation procedure that is adhered to by all staff, students and volunteers. In the event of an emergency, including an evacuation of a daycare location; parents/legal guardians or emergency contacts will be notified using the information provided on the child’s emergency file card.
Intoxicated Parent/Guardian at Pick Up Policy
To ensure the safety and security of the children at the St. Lawrence Co-operative Daycare, staff are made aware of the possibility that a Parent/Guardian (or alternate escort) may appear to be intoxicated when they arrive to pick up a child. To address these incidents, a plan of action has been developed to help staff effectively deal with the situation if it should come to pass.
A child will not be released to a Parent/Guardian or other authorized individual if that person arrives to pick up the child and appears to be intoxicated or under the influence (i.e. slurred speech, distinct smell, lack of coordination, etc.). Staff will suggest calling the child’s other Parent/Guardian, or an alternate pick up person.
NOTE: A staff may reasonably conclude that a Parent/Guardian is intoxicated if they exhibit the following symptoms (not limited to): slurred speech, distinct smell, impaired motor function, rising aggression. Some prescribed medications as well as legal substances may have the same effect as illegal substances.
Intervention:
If based on the above a staff has made a reasonable determination that a Parent/Guardian or other authorized person may be intoxicated and an intervention is warranted, the staff should make every effort to ensure the child’s safety. The following actions may be taken:
- If the Parent/Guardian or other person attempts to leave the centre with the child, call 911 emergency services.
- Notify the child’s other Parent/Guardian, the Parent/Guardian partner or the emergency contact person and C.A.S.
- Notify the Supervisor/Designate whether or not they are on site.
- The Supervisor/Designate is to report to the Serious Occurrence Line, Ministry Licensing Specialist and the Toronto Children’s Services Consultant no later than 24 hours after the occurrence.
Withdrawal and Discharge Policy
Withdrawal
Parents are required to provide one month written notice of their child’s withdrawal. Without sufficient notice parents will be charged their daily fee x the number of days their child attends. St. Lawrence Co-operative Day Care strives to accommodate children graduating from one age group to another. Infants moving up to toddlers will fill the first vacancy available at the Infant Centre or Preschool Centre. In cases where a space is not available parents may be asked to find alternate care outside of St. Lawrence Co-operative Day Care.
Children who are turning ten in the calendar year may be withdrawn at the end of June if the space is needed to accommodate preschool children that need to move up as per our “Move over Policy”.
Parents are required to ensure that all fee accounts are settled upon withdrawal. St. Lawrence Co-operative Day Care Inc. is a “Friendly Zone” and all disputes or concerns need to be addressed as outlined in the Code of Conduct Policy included in your Child Enrollment Information Package. Every attempt will be made to settle disputes and come to a reasonable solution for all parties, but should the concern fail to be resolved, it could result in withdrawal of services.
Fees are due on the 1st of each month. Failure to pay your monthly fee will result in withdrawal of services. Should you need to make other arrangements please contact the Program Supervisor.
Discharge
In some exceptional cases, after exhausting reasonable alternatives, including outside agencies, the child and/ or the parent’s needs may be deemed to be beyond the Centre’s resources and the child’s enrollment in the centre may be reviewed or terminated.
If the child’s enrollment is being reviewed, the following steps will be taken:
- Incidents of unsafe behaviour are documented and if the behaviour persists after a contract has been drawn up and a reasonable review period has passed, the City of Toronto Children’s Services Consultant and then the Board of Directors will be notified.
- The staff will provide a written report of the steps that have been taken to help the child change their unsafe behaviour(s). These steps will include contracts with the child and parent; behaviour guidance/support given; contracts with outside agencies or other resources.
- The parents will be provided with a copy of the written report referred to the Board of Directors and will be allowed sufficient time to review the report. (i.e. one week)
- The Board of Directors will review the child’s case and gather further information as required.
- A meeting will be arranged with the Board of Directors and the Program Supervisor and/or the Resource Consultant.
- The parents will be asked to present and discuss their views of the report in the meeting or in writing.
- Upon considering the parent’s views and the child’s case, the Board of Directors will take a vote in the absence of the parent, to decide whether to grant another review period or to terminate the child’s enrollment.
If a decision had been made to grant another review period, the Board of Directors will reassess the child’s case after the review period with the new documentation. When a decision has been made to terminate the child’s enrollment at the centre, the parents will be given two to three weeks written notice to seek other arrangements. The parents will be assisted as required to find other child care arrangements. The City of Toronto Children’s Services Consultant and Board of Directors will be notified regarding the child’s withdrawal.